The frontier ain't what it used to be. Instead of cattle rustlers and dysentery, the explorers of Mass Effect: Andromeda's uncharted territory have to handle hordes of aliens with guns and interplanetary conflict. It's a rough life out there, and live gameplay that debuted as part of The Game Awards tonight shows it:

Our hero Ryder and crew have stumbled across a gang war raging across an alien planet with scarce resources, but the tools and technology available to them give the good guys the edge. While the improved combat is expected, it looks like there'll also be a bigger focus on scavenging and crafting this time around as well.

It will have been five years since the last big Mass Effect game by the time Andromeda hits shelves in spring 2017. The future is nigh.